Actually Pretty Awesome: Duck Fat Chex Mix at Truck Stop Café

Humphry Slocombe’s Jake Godby isn’t satisfied to have a successful and nationally discussed ice cream shop as well as a book coming out with recipes from said shop. This week he launched Truck Stop Café, a Monday pop-up at Truck (Folsom and 15th), a gay bar in the Mission which typically doesn’t see a ton of foot traffic on a Monday. The pop-up is another opportunity — following on a guest stint at Baker & Banker last year — for Godby to show off his talents as a savory chef. And while our dish pick this week may not be the most complex item on his whimsical and interesting menu, it’s an easy crowd pleaser that goes really well with a cocktail or three.

Godby’s duck fat Chex mix is kind of a dream come true. First of all, the stuff smells amazing. We’ve always loved a good Chex mix, and this elevated version is served warm out of the oven and features pretzel sticks (naturally), as well as a good helping of duck fat, smoked salt, cayenne, garlic, and thyme. It’s rich but not too greasy, the flavors bold and perfect for each other, and we could eat it all day. We’d only recommend that he throw in some peanuts, maybe, for a little extra texture — but we love peanuts more than most.

As for the rest of his menu, it was pretty extensive for a first outing. All items were under $15, most under $10, and other highlights included a chicken-liver toasts with blood-orange jam; hominy fritters with spiced ketchup and “Hidden Valley” yogurt ranch; tender roasted cauliflower with lemon and anchovy; chicken hash with pickled mustard seed and a fried egg; and a Thai-ish soup of chicken broth, sabayon and lime with clams and cilantro. He also, obviously, had three desserts: a bourbon-and-coke float; a pear and chestnut tart with olive-oil ice cream; and a chèvre cheesecake with apple and rosemary streusel. “No two things had the same component,” says Godby of the fifteen-item menu. “It’ll be simpler next time.”